Thursday, April 26, 2007

"BAGHDAD, April 25 (Reuters) - British troops in Iraq passed a bloody milestone this week with the killing of a 20-year-old gunner in the southern city of Basra.

Eleven British soldiers have now been killed in Iraq this month, the highest number of casualties suffered by British forces in a single month since March 2003 when 27 were killed in the opening days of the U.S.-led invasion.

British military analyst Tim Ripley said Basra had become more dangerous for British troops following the announcement by Prime Minister Tony Blair in February that the size of the force was to be reduced by a quarter.

"Now is their chance to prove that you were in the forefront of the struggle and you drove out the imperialists," said Ripley, who writes about Iraq for Jane's publications......."